IS IT GAME OVER FOR TALACRE SPORTS CENTRE?

Published: 28 October, 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

THE future of one of Camden’s best-loved leisure centres was shrouded in mystery last night (Wednesday) as finance chiefs pondered whether they can afford to keep managing it.

The New Journal asked officials point blank: Will Camden Council continue to run the Talacre Sports Centre in Kentish Town?

In a foggy response, neither a “yes” nor a “no” came back. Instead, reporters were simply reminded of Camden Council’s current work in trying to balance its budget in the ­climate of cutbacks. 

Officials refused to comment on the pos­sibility of a private operator taking over the running of the centre and Talacre users now face waiting until the end of November to discover what will happen. 

The uncertainty comes after union members raised concerns that private operators are eyeing up the centre in Dalby Street, which opened seven years ago to great fanfare and is considered one of the local Labour Party’s greatest achievements.

It is home to a floodlit astroturf pitch and runs one of the country’s most popular gymnastics classes which in the past has seen parents queue throughout the night to make sure their children get a place.

A spokesman for ­Unison, whose members work at the centre, said: “People we represent have come to us and said they have been unsettled by people coming in and measuring up. They saw people measuring up the football pitch.”

He added: “There is a concern about what will happen next. People want to stay with the council. It is popular the way it is at the moment and there is no evidence to suggest it will be ­better run if it wasn’t in-house. In fact, in some areas of the country there is a trend to bring leisure services back in-house.”

Rumours over the possible interest of Greenwich Leisure Limited have refused to die over the last 18 months. The company already operates several sections of Camden’s leisure service including the Oasis Swimming Baths in Holborn. It is understood the idea of GLL potentially slotting into a position where it also ran Talacre has al­ready been discussed in private at the Town Hall. 

One well-placed council source said: “You wonder why managers in the leisure department would want this – if it all goes to an outside operator they will have nothing for to manage.”

In direct response to our question, a council statement was emailed to the New Journal’s office last night (Wednesday). It did not mention Talacre by name and officials said they had no more information to add.

The statement said: “The council faces a significant challenge over the next three years due to big cuts in the funding we receive from central government. Council tax revenue only accounts for 9 per cent of the ser­vices that Camden currently provides. The council relies on government grants to fund many essential services.

“As a result Camden Council has an estimated budget shortfall of £80-£100m over the next four years. Camden had antic­i­pated a signif­icant red­uc­tion in central govern­ment funding, and during the summer agreed an efficiency programme which will deliver £30m of savings, however efficiencies alone will not be enough to bridge the budget deficit.

“The council is committed to supporting those in greatest need but is also forced to explore a range of options across all of the services to establish where services can be delivered differently, cheaper or, regretfully, sometimes even not at all.”

It went on: “The council are encouraging people to go to camden. gov.uk/budget which has information on where the council’s funding comes from and what it is spent on. In the coming months the council will be talking and listening to residents and community groups about how to face the tough financial challenges together.”